1O Lord, you have searched me and known me.2You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away.3You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.4Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely.5You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it.7Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence?8If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.9If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,10even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast.11If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light around me become night,”12even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you.13For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.14I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well.15My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.16Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed.17How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!18I try to count them—they are more than the sand; I come to the end—I am still with you.19O that you would kill the wicked, O God, and that the bloodthirsty would depart from me--20those who speak of you maliciously, and lift themselves up against you for evil!21Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?22I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies.23Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.24See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

His Word Brings Life“Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68) We all want it. We all strive for it. We want the “good life” – money, power, prestige. We want to travel. We want to dine in the finest restaurants. We want beautiful clothes. We want great friends. We want to have good times. We want to age gracefully. We want peace and harmony. These are the outward trappings of our lives. We think these are the things that will make us happy. We spend extraordinary levels of time and energy trying to obtain these things, trying to achieve our goals. I’m going to let you in on a little secret: these efforts may or may not bring you happiness. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21) But what about those whose daily lives are a struggle just to meet their basic needs for food, shelter, clothing, and love? For many in our broken world, the basic necessities of life are out of reach. Hunger, poverty, homelessness, sickness, and hopelessness abound. There’s war, famine, religious persecution, and genocide. There is no peace. There’s a family just around the corner or sitting next to you in the pew who are one paycheck away from losing their home. There’s a single mom who goes to bed hungry just so her children can have a small dinner. There’s a young man across the room with a smile on his face, but feeling empty inside. That couple that looks so happy together, hides the fact that they are on the verge of divorce. That smart and funny little girl riding her bike down the street feels ugly and insignificant. No matter what our personal circumstance, we want our lives to have meaning, direction. We want to know that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. We want to know that we are good people. We want to know that we are of value. We want to know our lives have purpose. We want no sorrow, no guilt, no shame, no death, no suffering. Here’s the good news: we have these things in Christ Jesus! Jesus gives all of us– rich, poor, hopeful, hopeless– this promise: “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10) Just as his disciples asked, “Lord to whom shall we go?” We know that we need only to look to him. His Word brings us eternal life. When we speak of eternal life, we need to remember that “eternal” does not simply mean everlasting, time without end. Eternal life is not just something that begins after we leave this earthly life. The original word used frequently in the New Testament is aiónios. This word means quality as well as quantity. For those suffering want, this is Good News indeed! God wants to give you eternal life, in the here and now. He stands ready, with open arms, to receive you into his love and companionship. He is your Father and wants only good things for you. Those whom God has blessed with plenty need to do what they can to alleviate the suffering of others. This is God’s will that we love one another (serve) as he first loved us. Christians are to do this as children of the Heavenly Father in recognition that we are one big family and God has provided enough for all. Not only are we to share our time and our possessions, we are to share words of comfort and consolation. We are to share the Words of eternal life: the Word of Jesus our Lord.Our Father in heaven, open your ears to the cries of your children. Send your Spirit into our hearts that we may hear your Word of Eternal of Life and share it with all people. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen Have a blessed day,Sandi

Courage, Strength and Devotion“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Galatians 4:4-6) Today, August 15, is the day Lutherans set aside to commemorate Mary, the Mother of Our Lord. I have written about Mary in previous posts: The Magnificat, Mary and Valerie and Luther Speaks: Mary’s Song. At the age of 13-14, Mary was betrothed to the much older carpenter Joseph. The marriage rites had not been completed and they had not lived together as man and wife. An angel of the Lord appeared to Mary and told her that she had found favor with God and would bear a child, the Savior of the World. Her first response is confusion since she was still a virgin. Her perplexity quickly turned to complete obedience to the will of God. “Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’” (Luke 1:38) Mary didn’t know what she was signing up for. Facing public humiliation, divorce, maybe even death, she trusted so completely in the promises of God that she willingly followed God into the great unknown that would be her life. Such courage, strength, and devotion! We have no idea what she knew or didn’t know about what her and her son’s life would be like. What we do know from Scripture is that Mary was there from the beginning to the end of Jesus’ life. She gave him life then stood at the foot of the Cross and watched him die. From her, we learn to place our complete trust in God and surrender our lives to the Son of God. Mary stands as an example to all of us. It is highly unlikely that anyone of us will be chosen for such a monumental task, but we are called into the world to bear witness to the saving grace of Christ on the Cross. In a world that seems to be turning a deaf ear to the message of the Cross, proclamation of the Good News is often challenging, if not nearly impossible. But, we have the Word of the Lord to give us the courage, strength and devotion needed to carry out the task which we have been given: “For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37)Heavenly Father, the choice of Mary to be the mother of our Lord, reflects your love and compassion for the weak, poor, and oppressed. The example of her gracious obedience stands as a testimony to us. Grant us that same measure of grace that we may have the courage, strength and devotion to follow your Son. In His holy name we pray, Amen. Looking to the example of Mary, Sandi

They had witnessed a miracle. Taking five loaves and two fish, Jesus fed over 5,000 men, along with an unknown number of women and children. With their own eyes, the disciples had seen Jesus provide and care for a multitude of his followers. Jesus then sent the disciples out into a boat while he dismissed the crowds and went up the mountain alone to pray. While he was there, a storm came upon the water, tossing the boat carrying the disciples about on the waves. In the morning, Jesus came to them, walking upon the water. In their fear, they couldn’t believe their eyes. They thought they were seeing a ghost, but our Lord reassured them: “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” In his boldness, Peter demanded proof that it was truly the Lord. “Come” Jesus said and Peter began to walk on the water. Then the wind kicked up and Peter was afraid. He feared, he doubted. He found himself beginning to sink. In his mercy, Jesus reached out and caught Peter. Jesus then asked the disciples: “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When Jesus entered the boat, the winds ceased, and they worshipped him saying “Truly You are the Son of God.” How quickly the disciples’ faith turned to doubt and fear. They had seen Jesus cure the sick, heal the lame, give sight to the blind. They watched as he took the loaves and fish, blessed them, and fed the multitude. Yet when the waves came up and Jesus was nowhere to be seen, they began to lose their faith. They were far out on the water, away from the safety of the shore and the sight of their Savior. Yet Jesus had not really left them. Although they could not see him, he was still nearby. I understand what the disciples experienced. Things are going great. The waters are calm. I feel Jesus’ presence. I’m out dancing on the water. Then BAM! The waves come, the wind knocks me off my feet. I begin to drown in a sea of fear and doubt. “Where are you, Lord? Come, save me” I cry. I want his immediate, undoubted presence to comfort me, to catch me just as he caught Peter that day on the turbulent sea. And I don’t think I’m the only who has ever felt this way. In this passage, we also read that Jesus does not come immediately into their presence. He waited until morning, leaving the disciples to deal with the storm for a little while: “And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea.” Perhaps, he was testing their faith. Perhaps, he knew there was nothing to truly fear. Whatever the reason, Jesus waited. Once Jesus was back in the boat with them “the wind ceased.” The storm was over. All was calm again. So too it is with us. Sometimes we must let our faith carry us through the storms of life, trusting that when we cry “Lord, save me!” he will be there to catch us in his loving arms. No matter what life throws at us, those things – big and little – that cause our faith to give way to fear and doubt, are stilled by our faith in Jesus. Although we cannot always see him, he is there, waiting to catch us, if we but call on his name. Living in that knowledge, we can dance on the waves! “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9)Great and Gracious God, grant us the strength to overcome our fears and doubts. Let us trust fully in your promised presence in our lives. When we waver, remind us that you sent your only Son to save us, and that the storms of this life are nothing compared to the love we have in you. Help us stand and dance on the waves of this life. Amen Learning to dance on the waves,Sandi

Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (Matthew 14:22-33)

I have called you by name, you are mine. (Isaiah 43:1b) “I have called you by name.” Wow! What a powerful statement! Our God, the God who created the universe, all that we see, all that we cannot see, knows who we are – each and every one of us. He knows our name! That in and of itself makes us important to him. Such great news! Knowing someone’s name is the beginning of relationship. What’s the first thing you do when you meet someone new? You exchange names. “Hi, I’m Sandi” is an invitation to call me by name and get to know a little about me. The initial exchange of names opens the door to continued conversation, and over time, can lead to additional time together, shared experiences, love and trust. Knowing someone’s name makes meaningful relationship happen. God’s knowing of our name means that the door to an intimate relationship with him stands wide open. He longs for a deep relationship with us as individuals. God has given us his name. “But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?’ God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you’.’’ God also said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you’: This is my name forever, and this my title for all generations.” (Exodus 3:13-15) We also know God in Jesus Christ: “And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:31-33) In the Bible, someone’s name gives a person their identity. The ancients believed there was power in knowing one’s name. People were frequently given names that described them (Isaac “he laughs”, Esau “hairy”, etc.) God frequently gave people new names. In renaming them, God gave them new identities and tasks. The new name came with God’s promise to be with the person and help them fulfill their God-given mission. This name giving creates a unique relationship with God, one in which God and the person named work side by side to fulfill God’s will. Abram (“high father”) becomes Abraham (“father of many”) when God chooses him to be the father of the faith. Sarai (“my princess”) was changed to Sarah, “mother of nations.” Jacob, second born of Isaac and Rebekah’s twin sons, means “heel holder.” He was renamed Israel (“contended with God”) after wrestling with an angel of the Lord. Jesus changed Simon’s name (“God has heard”) to Peter (“the rock”) because Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Son of God is the rock on which the church is built. God changed the name of the early church’s greatest persecutor, Saul, to Paul which means “humble,” after his conversion to Apostle to the Gentiles. God no longer seems to give us new names when he calls us to specific tasks, but he does know us, call us, and promise to be with us in all that we do.

“But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” (Isaiah 43:1-3)

Our Father in heaven, we stand in awe of you. You, our Lord and God, have created us in your image, given us purpose for life, and called us by name into a relationship with you. Grant that we remember that you are our God, we are your children, known and loved for who and whose we are. In the precious Name of your only Son, Jesus, we pray. Amen

Artwork: God the Father by Willem Herreyns. Oil on Canvas (www.kmska.be) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. This is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional, public domain work of art. The work of art itself is in the public domain for the following reason: This work is in the public domain in the United States, and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years or less.

The Feeding of the 5000Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” Jesus said to them, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They replied, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.” Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. (Matthew 14:13-21)

Lutherans tend to look at the Ninth and Tenth Commandments together. They are extensions of the Seventh Commandment, Thou Shalt Not Steal and the Eighth Commandment, Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness; however, the Ninth and Tenth Commandments deal with the inward (the heart and mind) as opposed to the outside (the physical). To covet means to deeply desire something that one does not have. God commands that we be content with what we have and not look to what others have and devise plans to get them for ourselves. We are to help our neighbor keep what is his or hers. In his explanation of the last two Commandments, Martin Luther first sets the stage for the giving of these laws to the ancient Israelites, then proceeds to explain how they still apply to us. It is interesting to note the difference between cultural norms of the ancient society and ours. These Commandments were necessary because women and servants were property – not people and were therefore easily taken from another. Luther points out that even if we have the right to do something, we aren’t necessarily in the right. (see Doing What is Right vs. Doing What is Our Right)The Ninth Commandment: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's houseFrom Luther’s Small Catechism Q. What does this mean? A. We should fear and love God that we may not craftily seek to get our neighbor's inheritance or house, and obtain it by a show of [justice and] right, etc., but help and be of service to him in keeping it.The Tenth Commandment: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his cattle, nor anything that is hisFrom Luther’s Small Catechism Q. What does this mean? A. We should fear and love God that we may not estrange, force, or entice away our neighbor's wife, servants, or cattle, but urge them to stay and [diligently] do their duty.

Excerpt From Luther’s Large Catechism*293] These two commandments are given quite exclusively to the Jews; nevertheless, in part they also concern us. For they do not interpret them as referring to unchastity or theft, because these are sufficiently forbidden above. They also thought that they had kept all those when they had done or not done the external act. Therefore God has added these two commandments in order that it be esteemed as sin and forbidden to desire or in any way to aim at getting our neighbor's wife or possessions; 294] and especially because under the Jewish government man-servants and maid-servants were not free as now to serve for wages as long as they pleased, but were their master's property with their body and all they had, as cattle and other possessions. 295] Moreover, every man had power over his wife to put her away publicly by giving her a bill of divorce, and to take another. Therefore they were in constant danger among each other that if one took a fancy to another's wife, he might allege any reason both to dismiss his own wife and to estrange the other's wife from him, that he might obtain her under pretext of right. That was not considered a sin nor disgrace with them; as little as now with hired help, when a proprietor dismisses his man-servant or maid-servant, or takes another's servants from him in any way.296] Therefore (I say) they thus interpreted these commandments, and that rightly (although their scope reaches somewhat farther and higher), that no one think or purpose to obtain what belongs to another, such as his wife, servants, house and estate, land, meadows, cattle, even with a show of right or by a subterfuge, yet with injury to his neighbor. For above, in the Seventh Commandment, the vice is forbidden where one wrests to himself the possessions of others, or withholds them from his neighbor, which he cannot do by right. But here it is also forbidden to alienate anything from your neighbor, even though you could do so with honor in the eyes of the world, so that no one could accuse or blame you as though you had obtained it wrongfully.307] In whatever way such things happen, we must know that God does not wish that you deprive your neighbor of anything that belongs to him, so that he suffer the loss and you gratify your avarice with it, even if you could keep it honorably before the world; for it is a secret and insidious imposition practiced under the hat, as we say, that it may not be observed. For although you go your way as if you had done no one any wrong, you have nevertheless injured your neighbor; and if it is not called stealing and cheating, yet it is called coveting your neighbor's property, that is, aiming at possession of it, enticing it away from him without his will, and being unwilling to see him enjoy what God has granted him. 308] And although the judge and every one must leave you in possession of it, yet God will not leave you therein: for He sees the deceitful heart and the malice of the world, which is sure to take an ell in addition where-ever you yield to her a finger's breadth, and at length public wrong and violence follow.309] Therefore we allow these commandments to remain in their ordinary meaning, that it is commanded, first, that we do not desire our neighbor's damage, nor even assist, nor give occasion for it, but gladly wish and leave him what he has, and, besides, advance and preserve for him what may be for his profit and service, as we should wish to be treated. 310] Thus these commandments are especially directed against envy and miserable avarice, God wishing to remove all causes and sources whence arises everything by which we do injury to our neighbor, and therefore He expresses it in plain words: Thou shalt not covet, etc. For He would especially have the heart pure, although we shall never attain to that as long as we live here; so that this commandment will remain, like all the rest, one that will constantly accuse us and show how godly we are in the sight of God!Large Catechism Text in the public domain. http://bookofconcord.org/lc-3-tencommandments.php